YAL Book Trailers

• As indicated on the course syllabus, you will have the opportunity to create a YAL Book Trailer. In Class 8, we'll begin discussing characteristics of the book trailer genre and the trailers you watched for class.

Characteristics of the Book Trailer Genre?

• Sales pitch (publisher perspective, but not educational goal -- motivation to read instead)
• Preview
• Attention-grabber
• Use of / lack of images to help tell the story
• Motivation to read; a hook
• Plot summary that doesn't give too much away -- creates anticipation
• Short overall, but long enough to achieve intended effect
• Briefly introduces the author
• Reviews of the book might be incorporated
• Out of sequence scenes might be used to created intended effect
• Book Trailer Attributes (Kernan, 2004): a) an opening or closing address to the audience about the YAL novel; b) an introduction of main characters; and c) a slection of scenes from the source text (YAL novel) or montages of scenes from the source text or montages of "quick-cut" action scenes.
• 2 Types of Book Trailers: Type 1 - Employs still and/or animated images, and usually includes text and a soundtrack. Type 2 - Most resembles movie trailers, including live action scenes, and narration and/or dialogue.
• The attributes and types are meant to inform rather than be prescriptive.
• Keep in mind that the most successful translation of story elements into a book trailer may not be literal -- symbolism can play a big part in book trailers.
• One approach: Little story adaptations of the larger YAL novel -- they foster anticipation and intrigue.
• Can feature live action juxtaposed with found images.
• "A digital book trailer is a concise two-to-three minute digital video in which students are challenged to meld still images, motion, print text, and soundtrack (both narration and music) in communicating ideas, insights, and discoveries about a self-selected text." -- Sara Kajder

• Heather:
  • None of these trailers were longer than 2 minutes.
  • I liked the idea of offering contests for filmmakers to create book trailers. That is creative and combines different mediums.
  • It is often a small narrative that highlights a larger narrative.
  • Viewers will expect the book to match the pace and quality of the trailer.

• "According to Iser (1978) gaps in a text create 'blanks which the reader is to fill in'" (p.36) I love this idea of our own expectations as a new text is introduced to us. Perhaps it is the title that grabs our initial attention, we make decisions and assumptions, filling in the blanks. We like what we're feeding on and watch a trailer and again our assumptions evolve. We begin to challenge our expectations and in a sense craft our own story out of the few fibers we've drawn. We then follow this with engagement with the text, (whatever form this comprises) and our expectations again shift as gaps are filled in and we address what the story says and possibly what we want it to say and an internal conversation erupts. Such expectations and explorations are unique and a contemporary means in which we can foster reading in students by taking them through these stages and where we can lead them towards independent reading. Jon

• Kaitlin:
  • People gravitate towards books and content that are given value by others and have "recognizable content."
  • The viewers become so engaged in the trailer and the suspense the trailer's create, that they will attribute/expect those same qualities from the book itself.
  • Promotional video campaigns are far less studied in academia than videos made by students and teachers.
  • Book trailers are incredibly relevant to youth who have grown up with technology always on hand. They cater specifically to "digitally enabled youth."
• Jen:
  • There is little research on the relationship between book trailers and interest in reading, but the ALSC has documented an association between books made into moves and subsequent book sales.
  • Trailers tend to have common content, but there is some variation. I think the ones that stray from the mold are potentially the most interesting and attention-grabbing.
  • The book trailer is an interpretation, the filmmaker's personal response to a text
  • "Digitally enabled youth are using multimodal Internet tools to interact with books in ways that did not exist even ten years ago" p. 41

• Robyn: -Book trailers can spark discussions among students including online discussions-trailers can lead to differences in opinions (such as the After trailer) this could lead to conversations and predictions-research is needed especially with younger audience-book trailers can make or break an interest in the book

• Rebecca: This can be a great way to get students interested in the next book you are getting ready to read! Davila writes, "When readers begin to fill in the gaps with an idealized storyline, the promotional value of the trailer rises because readers will likely see the film or read the book to confirm their expectations surrounding the source text. Once they engage with the source text, readers will frequently modify their horizons of expectations to accommodate the conflict, shifts, and changes that occur in the story (Bressler, 2007)" (36). If a class was assigned to make book trailers, asking them why they picked the content they did for the trailer could lead to an interesting discussion.

• Will
  • Short and sweet; brevity in duration clearly a strong sales/buy-in strategy
  • A response to the changing preferences of today's readers and learners. Nowadays reading book reviews isn't a thing; word of mouth brings attentions to books/authors.
  • Incredible flexibility with content; simple words, silence, "awkwardness", cartoons, live-action, on par w/ movie trailers.
  • Interpretative and practical; where big-budget movie studios use film snippets to develop trailers, book trailers can be developed by an interested reader right at home
  • "Readers' horizons of expectations for a source text expand and contract according to the depth of the gaps of the film and book trailers"; less is more
  • The little tidbit about implying the types of readers by their response to book trailers is a good takeaway; the "I don't know what this book is about, and I don't care-the video served its purpose-I am very interested in finding out more" response to Hunger Games; implies a reader steeped in popular culture

• Kirsten: I personally had never heard of book trailers before we started to discuss them in class, so I find the topic new and interesting. I understand the correlation between when a movie for a book comes out and the book suddenly enjoys an upsurge due to increased interest and a desire to "read the book before I see the movie," so I can see why book trailers would increase interest. The purist in me was struck by the idea that the book might be a disappointment as compared to the trailer and I wonder if books should receive this criticism (or openess to criticism) the same as films do. However, the Puritan resistor in me appreciates the appeal to digital learners who may need one more push to read a great book.

• Jenna: I've shown my students book trailers to peak interest in certain novels. Especially novels I know are available on my bookshelf or in the library. I always see high interest in novels with movies. Students often discuss what their preference is, whether to watch the movie before reading the book or after. Book trailers are often short, not lasting more than 2 minutes and need to be brief, but engaging. I like the idea of making book trailers a competition. I think this could be something that could be done in the classroom. Students could make book trailers and compete to see which trailer was made the best.

• Sameerah: " I argue that book trailers are unique texts that include anything that is constructed through language, including silence." I can see where Jones is going with this. Now that books are more diverse, like graphic novels, language can be used or even omitted. The "silence" really helps because our inner monologue comes out and we get to hear our own stream of consciousness by trying to analyze what should be inferred. Sometimes the images in book trailers are enough to convey meaning.

Other Examples

Resources for Creating Book Trailers

Our YAL Book Trailers F17